


Meet Me In the Grave

by clareabshire



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies), Night Huntress Series - Jeaniene Frost
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, F/F, One Shot, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:07:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27608074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clareabshire/pseuds/clareabshire
Summary: When Master Vampire Maleficent notices a woman in obvious pain in an alleyway she finds herself drawn to her, one conversation turns into a trip to target, then a trip a fancy undead restaurant. Can Mal pull this human girl down and have her Meet Her in the Grave?
Relationships: Mal/Uma (Disney)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Meet Me In the Grave

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, it’s been a little while since I’ve posted anything. I have taken a break from writing the Daring Kiss sequel because I’ll be honest… I’ve been falling in love over the past six weeks and sometimes that takes over my mind in the best way. Everything I want to write is now covered in those weird rose colored glasses. So while I try to pull myself together to write the sequel you all deserve (It’s going to be very juicy, I promise you,) I give you this. A sappy vampire version of what it feels like to be saved from an environment you should have never been in the first place. There’s nothing like meeting someone who makes you realize you have been doing life all wrong for the past four years.I will add and will always add to my vampire stories is that this takes place in the Halfway to the Grave/Night Huntress universe by Jeaniene Frost. If you haven’t read her works that is absolutely fine and you’ll still be able to follow my story with our lovely descendants characters, but know most of the vampire lore is not my own and follows the rules and even some characters written by Jeaniene. If you like this universe and the rules of vampire society I recommend her books 100 percent, her stories have been the best thing to come out of quarantine for me. Now, let’s get to the good stuff. I hope you enjoy it.

There was a girl crying… There was a girl crying and walking down a dark alley clearly distracted and not watching where she was going. This girl was seriously sobbing and Maleficent couldn’t stop watching her from up on the roof of the building she stood on. 

It was a black girl with a shaved head dyed an odd shade of orange wearing a bright blue leather jacket with fringe coming down the side that reminded Maleficent of the ocean. She hated the ocean. The girl wasn’t walking very well. She was shuffling back and forth and almost running into trash cans and it was almost so hard to watch when she wasn’t watching where she was going well enough to stop the entire left side of her body from running into the wall that was right next to her. 

Maleficent couldn’t hear any of her thoughts and she wondered if it was because of how high up she was or if she was one of those special cases with the natural immunities to vampire compulsion and powers. 

When the girl made it out of the alley Maleficent flew over to the next building to keep a watch and now, the girl was speaking out loud. “Why am I the one that’s always wrong? Why am I the one who always has to apologize? I have apologized for the past twenty three years of my life! I’m sorry for breathing, I’m sorry for - taking up space. I’m sorry for-” She stops suddenly and lets out the most ear pitching scream from a human that Maleficent has ever heard. Maleficent’s eyebrows rose into her long dusty blonde hair in amusement. Those were very good questions to ask and the scream? Might keep other vampires away, thinking someone without a heartbeat had already gotten to this racing heart. 

Maleficent continued to watch as the girl began kicking the wall of the next abandoned building she came across, which wasn’t hard. There are so many abandoned buildings in Auradon and it’s neighbor island - Auradon’s king hadn’t been one for the people in many decades. So the girl just destroyed anything close enough and small enough that her little human hands could get a hold on. She stomped out a glass window in her thick black boots, threw bricks against trash cans, and raged in a feral way Maleficent didn’t usually see from humans. 

Eventually as all humans do she began to tire, her shoulder began to droop while her chest still heaved, and then she began to clutch her lower abdomen… a groan escaped her that Maleficent did not expect. It was the most pained sound she heard the girl she had been watching for over two hours since her loud and obnoxious sobbing. Even from how high up Maleficent was she could see the way her face scrunched up in pain and how she wrapped her arms around her stomach as if trying to hold herself together from falling apart. Which was strange because Maleficent had just watched her entire ‘falling down’ moment. It took a moment to realize the girl was actually in pain, physical pain. 

Had she cut her stomach and Mal had missed it? When she picked up the last brick did she accidentally slice her skin open and neither woman had noticed? While Mal was still debating what was going on the girl fell to her knees and vomited her mouth expanding and shooting out bile. She watched as the girl began to expel what was sitting on well on her stomach from her mouth, her nose, and even her eyes. Mal was shocked, she hadn’t seen something so bad since the plague. Maleficent didn’t wait any longer she jumped off the roof, she could fly for over hundreds of years she simply controlled the gravity around her to float a few yards away from the girl but close enough to get a closer look at her. Yes… she could see now she wasn’t pale, but she looked sickly with deep dark circles under her eyes, her frame looked really small under her huge dramatic blue jacket and her legs were shaking as she continued to gag while on her knees. 

“Stress is a big indicator in your disease, make sure you stay out of stressful situations.” The girl says between gasps and shakes as she takes big deep breaths, it sounds like something someone else said to her, repeating something that was something of a mantra to her. “Well, godmother, you’ve never actually met my mother now have you?” Then, the woman chuckles, actually chuckles and goes on “Holy shit, that was awful,” 

“It definitely looked awful.” Mal says as she continues to walk towards the black woman on the ground she pulls a handkerchief from her breast pocket of her black trench coat. “Are you okay?” 

The woman's head shoots up fast at the sound of Mal’s voice and she still weak but still takes a step back on her knees providing space between them, Mal sees it and stops moving towards her but puts her hand out with the handkerchief anyway so if the woman chooses too she can come and grab it from her. 

“You have bile coming out of your nose,” Mal says she doesn’t smile at the woman trying not to be so off putting. 

“Where did you come from?” The woman says “I didn’t see you before” 

“Probably because you were too busy throwing up to notice anything around you.”

Maleficent realizes she can hear her thoughts now and they go back and forth between if she should be getting closer to the woman in front of her or running for her life or if god was finally answering her prayers and found someone to kill her because she didn’t have the heart to do it herself. 

This girl has had a rough time. 

Maleficent figures that out when she the girl in front of her hopes as she takes the handkerchief from her that Maleficent will try to harm her in some way just so her existence will be over. 

But Maleficent doesn’t hurt her, instead she watches as Uma slowly takes the soft material out of Mal’s hands and their fingers brush and the woman feels just as cold as Mal’s. As cold as vampires. 

“My name is Maleficent,” Mal says as she watches the woman clean her nose, fold it, then the sides of her mouth, fold it again, then dab at her eyes. “What’s yours?” 

“I’m Uma, pleased to meet you… I will launder this item,” she says and then laughs. ‘Movie quote’ she says in her head but not out loud and Mal leaves it there. 

“Do you need me to take you somewhere? We can run to a store and get you some toothpaste? I know there's a Target close by.” Maleficent says she still doesn’t crowd Uma. She doesn’t want to frighten her even though Uma's thoughts made it very clear that if Mal wanted to cause her harm she wouldn’t be afraid if it meant it would end her life. 

“Man, that’s really nice of you but I don’t have any money on me, I kinda just ran out of my house in a rage. Didn’t really think about the consequences of that choice.” 

“Because you wanted the consequences?” Mal asks with eyebrows raised 

The answer in Uma’s head was ‘yes’ but the one she said out loud was ‘I didn’t even think that far ahead.” 

“Well tonight, there will be no consequences, I’m at your service and your disposal. Let’s get you a toothbrush and something to eat shall we?” 

Uma stares at Mal for a long time just watching her face and then slowly looking down at her thick black trench coat and black leather boots they showed no skin the only things free were her face and her hands. Mal felt like she was looking for something wrong, something that should tell her to say no to the woman before her but she couldn’t find any. She couldn’t find danger and even if she had she probably would have ended up giving the exact same answer. 

“Fuck it,” She says “Why not?” 

Slowly, Uma braces her hands on the sides of her body and slowly pushes herself up to a standing position. It looks like it takes so much effort for Uma to lift herself, it pains Mal to watch and do nothing when she wants nothing more than to carry her and fly her to the convenience store. 

“If I had known I was going to run into you I would have taken a drive and not a stroll,” Maleficent says when Uma slowly begins to walk to her side and then they move together towards the lights of Auradon City. Uma chuckles at Mal’s words “But then you never would have heard me throwing up in the alley way.” 

Maleficent would have heard anyway but figures not to spill that secret just yet. “True.” She says instead and Uma nods. They walk very slowly together. There's a chill against Uma’s body that isn’t coming from the chill October air of Auradon. Something about her scent is off, she smells… like pain. Pain doesn’t usually have a scent, usually it’s someone's emotions that give off scents that Maleficent and other vampires pick up on but this woman next to her… smells only of pain. 

“Do you mind me asking, what’s wrong with you? I never saw someone throw up like you did.” Mal says “You didn’t really look like… you were surprised, it was like you were just-” 

“Going through the motions?” Uma suggested “I have a chronic illness, which basically means that I’m sick all the time. My stomach cramps for 20 hours of the day sometimes it's fine where I can ignore it and live my life and other times it’s so debilitating I can’t get out of bed. I’ve been in serious pain for the past two years and I’m only just now going to the doctor for it.” 

“Why are you only getting treated now?” Mal ask

Uma shrugs as they walk, her brain slows down “Because I didn’t really tell anybody I was sick. At first I only noticed it when I was going to bed two years ago, then it started hurting during the work day, and then I started throwing up… I went to one doctor and she brushed me off. Told me to only eat crackers and baby food until it passed. I did that for a while and eventually it went away. I started drinking protein drinks and ate less meals. I thought it was finally over but then this year, it came back worse than before. No one wants to diagnose me though so now I’m four thousand dollars in debt from CT scans, MRIs, and doctors visits and no diagnosis.” 

“Never understood why doctors were so expensive here in Auradon.” Mal spits 

“Because Auradon is a corrupt and stupid system that only works in favor of the rich and old money.” 

“Aye.” Says Mal inreturn 

They walk quietly the rest of the way but once they make it inside of Target Mal grabs them a hand basket and speaks up again. “I have a confession, I saw more than just you throwing up. I saw the… temper tantrum as well and the crying before that.”

Uma opens her mouth to respond and then closes it again and looks ahead at the brightly lit walkway. “Well…” she says “Fuck a duck,” 

Maleficent can’t stop the snort that slips from her mouth “Fuck a what?” 

“A duck… I don’t know, I read it in a book once. It never left me.” 

“Do you like to read?” 

“I adore a good fantasy, or contemporary romance anything written in the young adult category of the 2000s and above I have read especially if it’s sapphic.” Uma tells her she doesn’t make eye contact and her smell wafts up a little more fear. Probably at mentioning the fact she likes “sapphic” stories meaning… she’s gay? Well fuck a duck indeed. 

“Well I don’t do much reading but Carol is one of my favorite sapphic films.” 

Uma did look at her then, eyebrows up, a common ground found. 

They’re both gay. Or some form of it on the spectrum. 

They both grinned at each other. . 

By then they’ve made it to the toothpaste, brushes, mouthwash so the smiles disperse for just a moment as Maleficent let’s Uma pick out whatever she wants to use to clean her mouth out, she lets her pull everything out of its packaging and use it in the bathroom here, which probably isn’t allowed but Maleficent would green eye anyone who tried to stop Uma so she wasn’t worried. While she brushed her teeth and most likely washed her face off with water as well she paid for the miniscule items and a water and a gatorade for Uma. Knowing she had lost a ton of energy to stomping around outside and then losing whatever had been left in her stomach. 

Even though Uma hadn’t talked about it, thoughts of her mom kept coming back into her thoughts in the way a nagging feeling of being followed never really leaves you, she wanted to ask Uma about it but wanted to wait until their next destination. She wanted to get some food into Uma so she wouldn’t pass out at least. 

Uma found her by the doors of the store waiting for her and handed her a cool blue gatorade which seemed fitting because it matched her jacket. Uma looked surprised when she saw Mal with it but her surprised face turned into a grin and she happily accepted. “My favorite, thank you.” 

“I feel like anything blue is your favorite,” Mal says and Uma chuckles 

“Anything that reminds me of the ocean, yes, me and my mom used to go every year before my dad died sometimes, I think I can still smell the sea salt in my nose.” 

“How long ago did he pass?” Mal asked 

“Five years ago… I keep saying I’m gonna go back and learn how to surf, he was going to teach me that himself but now that he’s gone I’ll probably be doing it on my own, when I have the courage.” 

Maleficent nods and smells too much sadness and decides to change the subject “I called a car for us while I waited for you, we’re going to head to my friend’s restaurant to get some food for you, okay?” 

Uma’s face falls “My stomach doesn’t handle food well remember? I’ll only take three bites at most before getting sick again. I don’t think I can handle throwing up again.” 

Maleficent takes a step toward her and grasps her hand - she doesn’t use her vampire gaze on her, she doesn’t want to green eye her into submission but does want to gain her trust. “I promise this is something that will make you better, you have to believe me… I can tell you’ve been hurt enough.” 

There’s a double meaning in that last part and they both know it. Something about it though makes tears come to Uma’s eyes but she doesn’t let them fall, she takes a deep breath and nods her head. Maleficent takes that as the opportunity to twinge their fingers together, take the products out of Uma’s other hand and walk her out of the store and into the waiting Escalade. 

Mal had already decided she was going to make Uma hers, Mal didn’t care how long it was going to take to convince her that Uma would have a better and healthier life as her property but damn she was going to convince her. Which meant she had to tell her she was a vampire, tonight. Mal liked to get right to the chase. She didn’t like to play games, she was a master vampire alive 273 years when she knew what she wanted she went after it and claimed it as hers. Whenever a vampire drank from, slept with, or dated someone who was human they were referred to in the vampire world as their property. Some found the term degradging while others were happy to be claimed under the title and the things that title came with. Mal’s properties were well taken care of, they lived in her many homes, had chefs cook them the finest food, had college classes paid for, driven to work, home, and wherever else they wanted to go and any money they made themselves they got to keep along with their salary. Maleficent also let her property drink her blood if they wanted to live longer healthier lives and stay youthful by slowing down the aging with the properties of her vampiric blood. In return the most they did for her and her vampires was feed them and keep the existence of vampires a secret. Some said their goodbyes to families and friends and didn’t look back, others are still in contact with the strict rule of not telling their location and who is taking care of them. Maleficent wanted Uma to be a part of that. She knew she would get along with the other humans in her castle and she knew her blood - if she drank it continuously would stop most of the pain from her chronic illness and it seemed like the perfect solution. If Uma was that kind of girl, and not the one who ran in fear of her. She would stop her of course and then green eye her into forgetting what she had learned but something told Maleficent it would hurt her gravely if she did. 

So now Maleficent walks Uma into Carlos DeVil’s restaurant 101 Recipes. Carlos is a ghoul that Maleficent turned when she was very young, her first, her most loyal, her second in command. He had done well for himself making a restaurant for humans, vampires, ghouls, and ghosts alike. Here his restaurant is neutral ground, no fighting on the premises and _all_ are family. 

When the pair walk in the first person they see is a familiar face to Maleficent she grins. 

“Jay!” she says warmly to him “Good to see you tonight, we need a quiet table on the V side of the restaurant if that’s available. H side if we absolutely must.” 

Jay grins back, he looks beautiful in his tight white t-shirt, bow tie, and black dress slacks. He wasn’t completely in uniform but everyone knew his muscles got him the best tips so Carlos allowed it. Jay was one of Mal’s property as well on the different side of the spectrum though, he spent his time doing smaller tasks for Mal and as he got better at each task they became more difficult and when he proved himself worthy he would be turned into a vampire. Mal believed he was almost ready. “We always have a spot for you Mal, should I let Carlos know that you’re here?” He says as he grabs two menus and silverware and begins walking the ladies to the far side of the restaurant in the corner where the lights were lower and lit by candlelight and the colors were warm hues of red, orange, and accessories black and white. He sits the couple at a round table with a white tablecloth and flips up their wine glasses. 

“Yes, let him know, I’ll also be coming to the kitchen to speak with him in a few moments as well.” 

“And leave your beautiful company with no one to amuse her?” 

Mal rolls her eyes “Oh, I’m sure you’ll find some way to keep her entertained.” 

Jay grins when he laughs and Mal loves watching him giggle but he pulls himself together and turns to Uma “Can I start you off with a sample of wine tonight? We have a great merlot we’re offering and an even better chardonnay.” 

Uma just stares at him for a moment as she plays with the idea of the merlot, she wants it but doesn’t believe her stomach would allow her to drink it without consequence. Uma has had a lot of consequences lately. 

“Let’s go ahead and get her a sample of the merlot, I think she would enjoy that one just don’t pour too much - it is a sample after all.” Maleficent speaks up and Uma turns and looks at her, for a moment Mal thinks that she overstepped but then Uma gives her a small smile and then nods up at Jay in agreement. He pours her the red wine and she does take a small sip of the small portion in her wine glass as she swallows it. She closes her eyes and a smile comes across her full lips and Mal can’t help but watch as her throat moves. 

“Jay can you grab my favorite bottle for me please?” Maleficent asks and Jay winks at her knowing she means any red wine but mostly just blood. The wine gives it a little extra spark and changes the texture of the blood making it appear a little more normal to the humans. 

Even though they were on the vampire side of the restaurant everyone was mixed in here and there, humans with their vampire lovers, ghouls and ghosts at one table together, all enjoying one another's company. It didn’t look like this outside of 101 Recipes but Carlos did a great thing here and Mal had never been more proud. 

When Jay walks away from the table Mal turns to Uma “Pick anything you want from the menu it’s my treat tonight.” 

“I know this place has got to be expensive, I haven’t seen one price on anything.” Uma sounds slightly appalled and Mal just laughs at her expression of wonder as she looks through it. “Man, do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had tomato paste? I haven’t had spaghetti or pizza or any red pasta without getting sick from it in so long… one thing I can eat though still, is seafood.” 

“That’s on page three, I recommend the lobster alfredo or just the whole lobster, if you want you can do both, take whatever you finish home with you.” 

_Oh she got moneyyyyy_ Uma thought in a sing-song voice but she stared at Maleficent with a look of confusion on your face. 

“You look like a woman who’s never been spoiled before,” 

“Being spoiled doesn’t come without a price, or at least that’s what my mama always said.” 

“Do you believe everything your mother tells you?” Mal asks with an eyebrow raised 

“I’ve learned not to believe anything at all that comes out of her mouth,” Uma scoffs and takes another quick sip of her wine just as Jay comes back with Mal’s drink she takes a long sip gratefully she wasn’t actually thirsty but things like anticipation, lust, adrenaline, can lead to her needing or wanting more blood than usual. 

Jay takes Uma’s order (she does indeed order both an entire lobster with two sides of butter and the lobster already with extra sauce) and when Jay turns to Mal she orders a grilled cheese made with truffle oil, one of the few human foods she still enjoyed the taste of. Uma makes a joke of letting her dip her sandwich into her alfredo sauce and the two women laugh before Mal says “Let me powder my nose and speak with Carlos. I'm gonna bring you back a special treat okay?” 

Uma’s eyes widen but she nods and watches Mal go, sipping on the last of her wine. Maleficent skips the bathroom entirely and heads straight into the kitchen. It’s alive and loud with steam and heat and conversation and swearing, no one questions the blonde’s presence - the staff had learned better since the last fiasco with it and Maleficent moved with grace never in another’s way when they had a plateful of steaming food to get out to waiting customers. 

After dodging a couple of severs she finds Carlos rather easily, he’s the one yelling at his team to: _move faster, don’t burn the sauce, use more wine, why is your hand on fire?_ Maleficent can’t help feeling like she’s back home for a moment. 

“Carlos,” She says, fighting for his attention, he stops eventually and turns and grins at his sire. 

“Darling!’ He says back “What the hell are you doing in my kitchen when I am told you have a beautiful lady at the table with you?” He takes off his tall hat and hits her shoulder with it “Haven’t you learned the best women are not meant to be kept waiting?” 

“I’m back here for her actually, she’s sick.” Mal says and Carlos’ eyebrows raise and his smile drops. 

“Must be serious if you’re coming to me then,” Carlos says a little solemn 

“Chronic stomach pain, she’s had it for the past two years it’s getting worse and she hasn’t gotten a diagnosis yet. I was wondering if we could make her one of your smoothies with my blood.” 

“You want to heal her? Without her knowledge?” Carlos sounds bemused “Usually you’re very honest about these things before you do them.” 

“I don’t think she knows about our world, Carlos, imagine me telling her that the man that runs this restaurant not only eats the food he cooks but eventually human flesh to survive? Then also I’m a vampire and will heal your wounds with no proof, also come be my property. I’m starting this slow comrade. I don’t want to overwhelm her. I’m going to feel her out over dinner.” 

Carlos nods as understanding as always then hands her a knife, grabs a blender from one of the work stations and places it under her wrist. “Alright, cut open a vein.” 

***

When Maleficent returns she holds a strawberry/raspberry smoothie with it’s very _special_ ingredient for Uma, she places a hand on her shoulder so when Uma turns and looks she sees Mal’s smiling face “Apologies for taking so long, I wanted to make it perfect.” Mal places the smoothie in front of her, their food hadn’t arrived yet but that was on account of Mal she needed Uma to have her blood in her system before she ate anything heavy so maybe she could have a full meal (or two) tonight for the first time in two years.

“You made this yourself?” Uma asks as she takes the smoothie and grabs a straw from her silverware “You really do like to spoil random strangers you meet by abandoned buildings huh?” 

Mal grins as she sits down “I have great intuition, I think we’re going to be great friends… or more, if you’re interested in that too.” 

Uma’s eyebrows go up and a smirk lifts her mouth “It was the puking that did it for you, huh?” 

Mal laughs “Actually it was your eyes, so big and brown, I could melt in those eyes.” 

Uma’s heart begins to beat a little faster and to cover the expression on her face she takes a sip of her smoothie. Her eyes widen at the taste and she looks up at Mal again and nods her head, when Mal listens in on her mind it’s just her repeating _oh my god this is so good… a metallic aftertaste but the best smoothie I’ve had in a long time._ Maleficent can’t do much about the taste of blood to a human mouth but once they get used to it, it does get easier. Uma will probably have to drink Mal’s blood once a week depending on how bad on her pain was. This was a good test to see how she and her body shall react to this. 

Uma puts the smoothie down and smiles “You did great with that, did you use yogurt instead of ice?” 

“I did, you could tell?” 

“Mmmhmm, that’s how my dad used to make them, ice dilutes the taste.” 

“Sounds like he was a smart man,” 

“The absolute smartest,” She smiles

Uma didn’t seem too sad about her fathers passing but happy that she had him in the first place, the first wave of the initial painful grief had already passed for her. For that Maleficent was grateful. 

“So let me ask you this, when you said you read a lot of fantasy novels and young adult fiction… What’s your favorite kind of fantasy? Kind of creature?” 

Uma breaks out into a real grin then, just in time too as Jay comes over with the food and places both of her meals in front of her and smile grows even wider as she thanks him and Jay winks in return before dropping Mal’s food in front of her and telling them to enjoy and he will return in a few. Mal watches Uma’s body as it moves back and her hand goes under the table. 

“Are you feeling your stomach? She asks 

Uma looks guilty and nods a little bit “It’s cramping a little right now, I want it to pass because my god this smells amazing.” 

Mal nodded, she expected cramping, when a human drinks vampire blood it speeds up the healing process but healing is still painful and even more so when the process is sped up and is faster than what the human is used to. 

Almost as if Uma can hear Mal’s thoughts as well she grabs her smoothie and drinks some more just as Mal was about to tell her to have a couple more sips. She begins speaking again “My stomach pain is caused by inflammation but we can’t tell if my inflammation is caused by my body or something outside it yet, but since it’s not going away we think it’s internal.” 

Mal nods, the human body sounded like a curse that Mal could no longer remember, glad to be free of the human tides but getting to keep the youthful pluses of being turned at the age of twenty three. 

“But… I think I’m gonna try to eat tonight,” Uma says with a small smile 

Mal grins “That’s great, and anything you don’t finish you can always reheat later on.” 

They nod at each other and dig into their meals but Mal makes sure to watch, she listens to her heartbeat, the sounds of her stomach, she notices when her legs finally stop shaking under the table and some of the sickly color of her skin begins to dissipate. All that from only half of her smoothie. 

When Uma is halfway through her lobster _and_ halfway through her Alfredo Mal asks her the same question they had gotten off track of. “What’s your favorite kind of fantasy? What’s your favorite creature?” 

Uma’s grin is contagious and Maleficent can’t stop looking at her. “Promise you won’t laugh at me,” 

“Scouts honor,” 

“I’ve always loved the birthday fantasies, like the ones where the girl turns 13, 16, 18, 20, and suddenly goes through… magical puberty. She finds out she’s a fairy, or a shadowhunter, or a werewolf and suddenly she gets a whole group of magical friends and she has to go on a quest where she saves the world. Even though she’s usually the most unqualified and annoying in the story… I like rooting for the underdog. The idea that your whole world changes so much and so intensely that you even have to leave what you originally knew and start over with something different with new people and new _powers_ has always been just so delicious to me. Then on top of that the main character always finds love on top of it too. Then to watch from book one to book eight as they become the badass they were always meant to be… is just so worth it.” 

“I love your passion,” is what Mal ends up telling the woman in front of her “I love seeing your eyes light up when you talk about that.” 

Uma doesn’t seem to know what to do with that compliment her mouth opens and closes again. Then she dips her lobster tail in butter and eats it to hide her grin. 

Mal leans across the table “So what would you do if I told you all the stories were true? Or at least, one story is true?” 

Uma looks intrigued but also a little fearful like Maleficent is playing some mean trick on her, but she leans in too “Which story?” 

Mal smiles smally “Vampires,” 

Uma bites the insides of her cheeks “I would say I need proof, to fully believe it. But I already kinda believe in everything.” 

“What if I said this restaurant was a hot spot for not only vampires, but ghosts, and ghouls.” 

“What’s a ghoul?”

“A flesh eater, a person who lives off the flesh of others and raw meat,” 

“Wicked,” Uma says a low look of awe on her face 

“What if I told you I was a vampire right now?” 

“I would say I want proof,” 

Mal grins fully letting her fangs slip from her gums and her eyes blaze vampiric green and Uma lets out a small gasp. 

“I’m on a date with a vampire,” 

“So that you are,” Mal grins and watches her face, reads her thoughts, and smiles again as the green in her gaze does down “you’re taking this even better than I thought you were.” 

Uma shrugs “when you grow up on fantasy novels and movies, it’s hard to know what isn’t real. There’s nothing I don’t truly _not_ believe in, everything is real on some level - but Maleficent I hope you’re not thinking of drinking my blood, I’m iron deficient.” 

Maleficent laughs “No, I’m not, instead I actually have an offer for you,” 

“An offer?” Uma asks head tilted to the side in question

“How would you like me to heal you?” 

“You can do that?” 

“I already have, momentarily, I mixed in my blood with your smoothie.” 

Uma’s big brown eyes widen even more as she stares at Mal “I knew it tasted a little metallic” 

Mal nods “You’re a very smart girl, and now you can eat as much as you want for the next few days without any inflammation or cramping bothering you.’ 

“You’re telling me drinking your blood during one meal has me set up for a few days? So I don’t have to go home and swallow a whole bunch of pills like I have been doing?” 

Mal nods in agreement “A few days is the shortest amount of time and a week at the longest.” 

“Thank you, I don’t know what else to say but thank you.” 

“You’re welcome, but this can be more than just one night, if you’d like. I have a proposition for you which might sound a little… to the human ways of law and thinking, please try to expand from that.” 

Uma nods and sips more of her smoothie. 

“I would like for you to become one of my people, my property if you will. If you would like you can continue to stay in your own home and live your life as you have been but what would be best and what I would prefer is if you can to live in one of my homes with my other humans, learn about vampire society and I can put you through school, pay for your doctor visits if you choose not to drink my blood, help you with a career, and… if you would like… continue to go on dates with you.” 

Uma is quiet for a very long time but then she grins and says “So you’re a sugar mama?” 

Maleficent is quiet right back. 

Then they both burst into laughter and Mal knows this is going to work out fine. 

“You know what is so crazy about today?” Uma asks Mal and she shrugs so Uma continues “My mom told me today she no longer cares about my health, my doctors visits, how I get there, and how I get home because we got into a fight. She did something wrong and because she got mad at me for being upset she decided to clock out on my health. Sometimes I’m in so much pain it feels like I’m dying, sometimes… I want to die, just so it will be over. That woman looked me in the eye and told me she no longer cared what my being sick means for me and my life. I couldn’t believe it. I was so shocked, that I left the house and started crying and screaming in an alleyway. And now you’re telling me, I don’t have to go back there if I don’t want to?” 

Uma’s heart was racing, she sounded hopeful and it clicked for Mal that she really didn’t want to go back to home, wherever home was for her. 

“No, you don’t have to go back, I can send someone for your things and have them at my castle by tomorrow evening.” 

“You live in a castle? You’re gonna let a girl you met in an alleyway live in your castle?” 

“I just want to give my humans a better chance at living life and improving themselves and if they ever want to become a vampire or a ghoul I can work that out for them too.” 

“You think I’m worth it? No one thinks I’m worth it.” 

“I know you’re worth it Uma, I don’t have to think about it twice,” 

“And you want to date me?” 

“I would love to take you out on another date, yes, this isn’t really a date though.” 

Uma gasps “This is SO a date!” 

“I didn’t realize it was a date until you asked if it was, I just went along with it,” 

The pair laugh aloud 

“The next date also won’t start with you vomiting, not very romantic,” 

“It’s a little romantic,” 

“No,” Mal says sternly 

Uma laughs aloud. “I’m down, if we can get someone over to my moms to clear out my bedroom for me… I’ll go anywhere with you.” 

“You really go anywhere with a vampire you just met?” 

“You have had multiple opportunities to kill me tonight, when I was sick and vulnerable on the concrete for one, but instead you took me to Target to clean my mouth out and then out to dinner. If you were going to kill me you would have done it by now.” Uma says almost as if thinking it out loud to prove to herself as well this wasn’t a crazy idea. 

“I could be trying to gain your trust,” 

“Even if you kill me… that’s okay I lived long enough.” 

Maleficent throws her head back and laughs “How old are you?” 

“Twenty four!” 

“Twenty four! Goddess! I can’t even remember being twenty four a year after I was changed.” 

“Well how old are you?” Uma asks 

“Well over two hundred,” 

“Wicked,” 

“Wicked indeed,” 

And then they’re just grinning at each other until Jay reappears. 

“Can we get a couple of boxes for her? And the check I think we’re going to be heading out soon.” Mal tells Jay and Uma nods in agreement. 

Mal hadn’t felt this giddy in a while, she hadn’t seen brown eyes so big and full of possibility, someone that she just knew she needed in her life since a hundred or so years before when she met her best friend Evie who was a ghost who stayed in her home now and for forever. Something told her that if Uma could see her they would get along well and even that thought made her grin. 

“Are you really okay with uprooting your life for an idea? You haven’t seen my castle or even knew a vampire truly existed until an hour ago.” Maleficent says as they leave Carlos’ restaurant and back into the escalade that pulled for them. 

Uma sighs “My life at home is shit, my mom is mean, tells me no one will ever love me, says she doesn’t care about my health, my father is passed, and I can’t even buy a car because I have no help from anybody. Even while living in my mom’s house I have always been doing it on my own. I think even if this happens to be all fake - which I don’t believe by the way I believe you really are a vampire and have a castle - at least I can say I tried. You know? Even if it all blows up in my face at least I can say I tried it out.” 

“I like your outlook on this, I didn’t know how asking you would go but it went way better than I expected.” Maleficent leans over and kisses her cheek. “Hmm,” she hums and takes a deep breath in “you smell like the ocean, faintly” that smell of sickness already fading from her skin.

“Must be all the seafood I just ate,” Uma shrugs 

“Or just you,” 

“Do you like it?” 

“I like you,” 

Uma tries to hold back a smile “That’s good… I like you too.” Then boldly she leans in and kisses Mal. It’s a soft kiss just lips on lips and Mal’s hand ends up on Uma’s cheek and she brings herself closer to the other woman and hums into the kiss the most satisfaction she’s felt in a long time. Something tells her this is the beginning of something very, very, special. 

### THE END


End file.
